Kalanchoe plant named ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’

ABSTRACT

A new Kalanchoe cultivar named ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ characterized by its large red-purple colored flowers, finely lobed leaf margin, semi-mounded growth habit and good lateral and basal branching.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and known by the cultivar name ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’. ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ was developed in a controlled breeding program in Ashtabula, Ohio by crossing Mikkelsen Seedling No. 92-178-5 (seed parent) (unpatented) with Mikkelsen Seedling No. 91-240-5 (pollen parent) (unpatented). The seed and pollen parents are proprietary breeding lines which have not been sold or made publicly available in this country. The plant is perennial but typically used as an annual in the floriculture industry.

Asexual reproduction by stem cuttings taken by the inventor in Lompoc, Calif. has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe are stabilized and are reproduced true to type in successive propagations.

The following characteristics distinguish the new Kalanchoe from other cultivated Kalanchoes of this type known to the inventor. The characteristics are described with comparative reference to the cultivars Kiebessy (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,767) and Tacora (unpatented).

1. ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ has colored flowers of Red-Purple Group 67C while ‘Kiebessy’ has colored flowers of Red-Purple Group 57C and ‘Tacora’ has colored flowers of Red-Purple Group 67A.

2. ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ has larger flowers (19 mm in diameter) than ‘Tacora’ (16 mm in diameter) and ‘Kiebessy’ (15 mm in diameter).

3. ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ has stigmatic surfaces that are white in color when mature which is similar to ‘Tacora’ while ‘Kiebessy’ has a red-purple cast to the stigmatic surface.

4. ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ flowers keep up to 7 days longer under home conditions than ‘Kiebessy’ and ‘Tacora’.

5. ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ has a leaf size of 8 to 9 cm long which is similar to ‘Kiebessy’ while ‘Tacora’ has smaller leaves at 7 to 8 cm long.

6. ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ has a distinctive leaf margin that is finely lobed with moderate cuts in leaves. ‘Kiebessy’ and ‘Tacora’ have larger, shallower lobing.

7. ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ has a rounded flower with good petal overlap while ‘Tacora’ has a more star shaped flower with little petal overlap.

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of this cultivar, as described in detail below, taken as a face view of the plant and showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in a colored reproduction of this type.

The following is a detailed description of the new cultivar, based on plants produced in greenhouses in Lompoc, Calif. during the Winter season of the year. Plants were grown in 10 cm pots and measurements were taken 13 weeks after rooted cuttings were planted. Height measurements were taken from the soil line of the container. The plants were grown at 16° C. night temperatures, 3000-4000 foot candles of light, and 200 ppm nitrogen, 75 ppm potassium, and 200 ppm phosphorous nutritional levels, with trace elements added. Habit of growth, foliage coloration, size of leaves, and peduncle length will be greatly influenced by nutritional and environmental conditions.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Parentage: A controlled cross between female parent Mikkelsen Seedling No. 92-178-5 and male parent Mikkelsen Seedling No. 91-240-5.

Propagaion:

(A) Type cutting.—Stem tip cuttings up to 3 cm long.

(B) Time to root.—10 days at 21° C. summer; 12 days at 21° C. winter.

(C) Rooting habit.—Fine, fibrous, abundant.

Plant description:

Habit and form of growth.—Semi-tall, semi-mounded, excellent basal branching; flower clusters bloom above foliage. Environment and use of growth regulators will play a role in final height. Average height is 25 cm and average width is 30 cm. Internode length is typically 15 mm. Main stem diameter is 10 mm, stem texture is smooth, glabrous, and stem color is Yellow-Green Group 147A.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple and opposite. Leaves are petiole and petioles are Yellow-Green Group 147A having a length of 15 mm and width of 5 mm. Size: Average, full grown leaves on a plant when grown in a 10 cm pot are 8 to 9 cm long and 5.5 to 6 cm wide. Shape: Ovate with obtuse apex and acute to truncate base. Texture: Glabrous; coriaceous and succulent. Margin: Crennate with distinctive moderate lobing. Color: Young foliage top side is Green Group 137A, underside is Yellow-Green Group 146A; mature foliage top side is Yellow-Green Group 147A, underside is between Yellow-Green Groups 147A and 147B.

Branching.—Average number of lateral branches is 8. The average lateral branch length is 20 cm and average lateral branch diameter is 5 mm. The branch texture is smooth, glabrous and color is Yellow-Green Group 147A.

Flowering description:

Flowering habits.—Inflorescence is a compound dichasial cyme. Terminal flower on main axis opens first followed by the terminal flowers of the side branches, continuing with the subsequent development of branches in the inflorescence. Inflorescence is made up of the main stem and up to 8 or more lateral branches depending on growing schedule followed.

Natural flowering season.—Early January. Flowering time under controlled daylength (10 hours daylight, 14 hours darkness) at 20° C. in summer is 8.5 to 9 weeks; in winter is 10 to 10.5 weeks. Flowering time depends on temperature, light intensity and other growing conditions.

Flower buds.—Oblong, up to 12 mm long before showing color, developing to tubular as flower petals mature; sheathed in four (4) sepals colored Yellow-Green Group 143A. Sepals are individual with a lanceolate shape. Sepals are 8 mm long and 2 mm wide.

Flower borne.—Compound dichasial cyme with primary peduncle being 4 mm in diameter just below the first branch of the inflorescence; length of peduncle will vary depending on growing conditions. The average number of peduncles is 10 with an average length of 15 cm, average diameter of 5 mm, smooth, glabrous texture, and Yellow-Green Group 147A color. The average number of pedicels is 250 with an average length of 3 mm, average diameter of 1 mm, smooth, glabrous texture, and Yellow-Green Group 147A color. Pedicels vary in length depending on where they are in the inflorescence. Flower 19 mm in diameter.

Quantity of flowers.—Numerous flowers on the main stem plus the 8 or more lateral branches will have 25 or more flowers each. Approximate time period for bloom lastingness is 4 to 6 weeks. The florets are flat in shape.

Petals.—Shape: Almost rounded, top cuspidate. Color: Top side when opening is Red Group 53C fading to Red-Purple Group 67C. Underside is Red-Purple Group 67C near edge of petal with balance being Red-Purple Group 65C. Number of petals: 4. Size: Individual petals 7 mm wide and 9 mm long.

Reproductive organs.—Stamens: 8 in number, with an average size of 3 mm not fused to the petal. Anthers: Flat, elliptical in shape, yellow-green in color. Filament color: Yellow-green. Pollen: Abundant, yellow. Pistils: Average of 4 per flower with an average size of 12 mm. Stigma: Flat in shape, mature color is white. Style color: Light green. Ovaries: 4 in number, size is 8 mm when immature, green color.

Fertility.—The plants are fertile, but do not normally set seed under greenhouse or garden conditions, unless in a controlled crossing program.

Disease resistance: ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’ has shown resistance to powdery mildew. No disease problems have been observed to date.

OTHER IMPORTMANT CHARACTERISTICS

1. Semi-tall growth habit combined with good lateral and basal branching allows cultivar to be finished in a 15 cm pot from one cutting instead of the normal 3 cuttings.

2. Excellent flower coverage on upper half of plant due to excellent lateral and basal branching.

3. No or minimum amount of growth regulators needed.

4. Pinching is not required or recommended. 

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant named ‘Forever Maxi Orchid’, as illustrated and described. 